Shade Tree Management Board

Shade Tree Management Board Madison, NJ 07940 Minutes of December 14, 2023 The Shade Tree Management Board held its regular meeting at 8:15 AM on Thursday, December 14, 2023. It was a hybrid meeting in the Borough’s Committee Room and a Zoom link. Call to Order by Chairman Gene Cracovia. Statement in compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act In compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, adequate notice of this meeting of the Shade Tree Management Board was provided by transmitting a copy of the meeting notice to the Madison Eagle, Morris County Daily Record, posting a copy on the bulletin board at the main entrance of the Borough Hall, and filing a copy in the Office of the Clerk, all on January 11, 2023. Copies of said notice were made available to the general public. Attendance Name Present Role Name Present Role Bartley, K x Member Miller, S x Member Bruce, N x Member Daley, B MEC Cracovia, G x Member O’Brien, K x DPW Honohan, J x Member Wolowicz, R x Arborist Trynin, R x Alternate Schorr, C x FMST Limbach, G x Alternate Ehrlich, R x Council Monaghan, B x Member Salaki, T Member Minutes Approval Motion to approve October minutes; motion carried. Arborist Report: 1  2023 # Trees Denied # PERMITS # TREES TO BE PLANTING RECOM Permit to INSPECTED REMOVED OBLIG PLANTING Remove January 10 18 25 6 1 February 3 2 0 2 March 5 10 21 2 April 21 37 8 27 1 May 29 69 66 26 3 June 15 25 12 13 July 14 53 4 31 August 13 20 6 10 1 September 14 18 10 12 October 22 44 43 19 2 November 12 34 32 12 2 December *** Total 158 330 227 160 10 *** incomplete month 2 Public Correspondence/Requests Ken: Honor Tree working on list 11, list 12, list 13 (30 locations per list); 90% removals and 10% elevating (12 feet off the road) and pruning when needed. Assessing trees to be trimmed and pruned by the library. Street trees should be pruned every 3-4 years. Electric Department conducts their own line-clearance pruning. Chris Schorr suggests writing up a little article about what Honor is doing to maintain our canopy, to inform and thus reduce questions from the public. Also discussed the pine tree in front of library (Kate Bartely), Main Street trees that are leaning in front of the Junior School (Gene) and planning a meeting with Christmas Committee about utilizing STMB’s replacement tree algorithm next year. 3 Private Trees/Service Requests: Rich: • 15 Lathrop Ave: owner of this rental unit states he has sewer problems from the 14" October glory red maple growing street side. It is under wires, so it has been V-eed out for line clearance. This two-story building is pretty close to the street so the branches are constantly rubbing on the building. Owner wants the tree removed. I originally said no, then he told me about the sewer. • 6 Fletcher: homeowner had a permit to remove 4 trees which were approved. When George went back to show Emily the work going on in Madison, he noted that the tree company took down an extra tree. Later in the afternoon, another tree removal permit was submitted. I believe this should be a fine for the removal of a 20-inch tree. • Most all the 2023 Service requests were updated in ArborPro. Emily had a few issues which she will send me to field check to get a better location. Tree Plantings: Spring planting - 89 sites. Judy consulted ArborPro, Doug Tallamy’s book, Rich, George, and Tom; ordering 53 large trees, 36 under wire trees. Heavy on the oaks, lighter on maple. NOTE: we are in a new Climate Zone due to climate change (½ zone difference). Fall planting - Ken considering contracting out planting of 30 trees because of work DPW work conflicts . NJ Tree Foundation planted the trees for Rotary and he is planning to use them. Ken suggested that we leave healthy pear trees for now instead of replacing and focus on private trees in fall. Council Liaison Report, Rachel Ehrlich (her last meeting): Shared details from 12/11/ 23 Council meeting: 1. Dodge playground reconstruction project delayed by pursuit of Green Acre grant. Construction will be moved to end of summer instead of this February. 2. Three sites for ‘Leave the Leaves’ (Baumgartner, Danforth water tower, Morris place Madison ave.) - leaves will be mulched instead of picking them up). 3. EC asking for status of replacement trees at pickleball courts. They should be replaced following the Tree Removal Permit ordinance (number and kind of trees). Details from Parks committee meeting: 1. Public concern about all the tree clearing on Memorial Park trail construction - the tree material that wasn’t chipped was left lying there. Ken will talk to Honor to see if the debris can be redistributed into wooded areas. 2. Showed map of trail requests and approvals. Will need to remove many trees (mostly dead) to expand trails. Not all yet approved. STMB Budget Report As of December 13, 2023 Year to Date – 2023 Budget (Total budget of $202,200) 4 1. Expended: $161,555.69 2. Encumbered: $38,023.96 3. Remaining Balance: $2,620.35 4. Unexpended: $40,644.31 This Month Paid: $1,685.00 - FMST (rose garden park) $2,199.88 - Richview Consulting $7,228.00 - Agricultural Supplies (Plant Detectives Inc.) 2024 Leadership/Meetings/Goals o Tom Salaki will spearhead the Rotary 100 Tree Planting Project – Phase 2 in 2024 and help to choose appropriate sites. o Improvements to Tree protection ordinance: 1. Pay $25 for any removal. 2. Tree Permits will now have to be shown at the time of removal. 3. Create a requirement for certain % of replacement trees be hardwoods. o Check on State grant money to redo our tree inventory; continue with ArborPro but maybe move to TreePlotter to get rid of paper records? Perhaps an intern for DPW to do this? o Windshield surveys will continue. o New Community Forestry Plan - should understand the process/contents even though ours isn’t due until 2027. o Kate working on tree Identification walk with Bridget. o Create workable plan to maintain new street trees over time. o Meetings continue third Thursday of the month. o Consider STMB PR like MEC does - joint Green Groups PR? o Parks doing a study with an open space grant to get a master plan. o Nancy and Rich will be looking at two more landmark tree nominees. Partner Organizations MEC Provided updates on the following: • Neighborhood pollinator plant events. • Seed swap. • Outdoor lights on the pickle ball courts are now on a timer (push button to light up for an hour). Where else could this apply, to reduce light pollution that is harmful to nocturnally active creatures and humans? • Monthly North Jersey Green column of The Madison Eagle and its sister newspapers. • Suggest we advocate for the plastic-based landscaping fabric to be removed from the library swale edges, now that there are new trees there, before those tree roots get established, and it becomes more difficult to remove. • Also propose we will add tree markers to new plantings to educate about species. 5 FMST o Six dogwoods going into Memorial grove to finish the plantings. Proposed trenching around the grove to let the leaves fall and stay there. o Rose Garden Park surveyed last week. Chris suggests professional grant writer to find funds. o Announced new member. Zoning Board/TCC Cases: No cases reviewed. Parks Advisory – See Rachel’s comments, above. Open Space – No meeting to report on. Sustainable Madison – No report. Submitted by Robin Trynin 6